York is starting from scratch

Deseret News (Salt Lake City), May 19, 2006 by Scott Iwasaki Deseret Morning News

Call Hans York a jazz musician or a singer/songwriter. Either way, you're correct.

"I was inspired by all types of music," said York, a German-born Seattle resident, during a phone interview. "My uncle is a jazz pianist and he would play at family gatherings. I grew up listening to him play Bill Evans and other jazz standards. My mother is a classically trained piano player, too. And I always heard that music in my home.

"But when I started thinking about my own career, I was young and wanted to be a rock 'n' roll star. I wanted to be in Led Zeppelin."

As York matured, he came to like the sensitivity of jazz.

"It was a very fascinating format for me," he said. "It allowed me to express myself in ways I couldn't with rock music. And I have always had a problem being stuck in a box. I feel the need to get out and mix things up."

While York is a relatively unknown artist in the United States, he is nothing short of a superstar in his native Germany. He is an in-demand session musician who has appeared on 40 albums. He also has released two solo German-language albums and performed with the late Robert Palmer, the New York Broadway Ensemble, master harpist Rudiger Oppermann and the Ars Quittilinga Chamber Orchestra. He also co-founded the German worldmusic band Moka Efti.

So, when he made the move to the United States seven years ago, he had to rebuild his career from scratch.

"I had to start over," he said. "There are many people in the United States. And most of them don't listen to foreign music. Also, when I started touring, it messed my mind up, because this is a big country.

"I just completed a West-Coast tour, and that was more than 4,000 miles," he said. "When I tell my friends in Europe how far I travel just to tour, and translate that into kilometers, they think I've lost my mind.

"But I can see no other method of connecting with audiences but through grass-roots efforts," he said.

However, the hard work doesn't dampen York's spirits. "I'm happy I can do what I'm doing. I am making music."

Last year, York released his first English-language album, "Inside Out." The album has been gaining rotation on jazz stations across the country.

"I started the album four years ago," said York. "I had ideas for songs and recorded six songs. I left the project for a while because I didn't feel any motivation to do it. Then I went back to the songs a few months later and I chose three of them to appear on the album. Then I recorded new songs because I had the inspiration to go for it."

York likes to play his music live. "Live music is something to be appreciated. People need to hear it because it heals. I think the world would be a better place if people left their TVs behind and went to see some live music being played."

If you go

What: Hans York

Where: Mocca Express, Sandy

When: Tuesday, 7 p.m.

How much: Free, but tips encouraged

E-mail: scott@desnews.com